In a new breakthrough in the field of genetic engineering, Chinese scientists at Nanjing Medical University used stem cells from mice to create functioning sperm cells, wherein, when injected into egg cells produced fertile offspring.
The achievement is considered significant, as it may help men having problems to have children by producing sperm cells in laboratories. However, it is yet to be ascertained if the results can be repeated using human cells. "If proven to be safe and effective in humans, our platform could potentially generate fully functional sperm for artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization techniques," AFP quoted Jiahao Sha, a scientist at Nanjing Medical University and co-senior author of the study, as saying.
During their study, the Chinese research team worked with the sperm cells of young mice aged between two and eight years and extracted their DNA. Subsequently, they recombined the extracted DNA with a view to produce primordial germ cells drawn from stem cells. In other words, this suggests that the stem cells posses the aptitude to be converted into any type of cell, irrespective of their sex cell origins.
The findings showed great potential, as the team successfully employed DNA recombination to foster the stem cells to redevelop in the form of sperm cells, and also preserve their ability to perform meiosis. Subsequently, these cells underwent in vitro fertilization resulting in the birth of fertile mouse offspring.
"All the offspring were healthy and fertile," BBC News quoted Professor Xiao-Yang Zhao, from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, as saying. According to Professor Zhao, he was hopeful that the findings of this study would inspire other scientists to undertake similar studies involving human issue with a view to "solve the problem of sterility."
Meanwhile, a reproductive health expert at the University of Edinburgh, Richard Sharpe described the achievement of the Chinese scientists as an enormous work, which must have taken years to complete. The British media outlet quoted Shape, who was not involved in the study, as saying, "What is new about this is that the authors show good evidence for correct development of the germ cells and their DNA at each step along the way, which encourages the belief that ultimately this could be made to work in men."
Watch the video on stem cell research breakthroughs below: